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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29075619">Aphrodite's Gift</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/awanderingmuse/pseuds/awanderingmuse'>awanderingmuse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians &amp; Related Fandoms - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birthdays, Fluff, M/M, Running Away, Slow Burn, Soulmate AU, angust, impatient boys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:07:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,722</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29075619</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/awanderingmuse/pseuds/awanderingmuse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Right before his eighteenth birthday Aphrodite meets Percy in his dreams. She tells him that she is giving him the gift of not again until he kisses his soulmate for the first time. That seems kind of redundant until it becomes clear that it isn’t Annabeth. The unchanging years weigh on Percy until Nico comes to him with a solution. </p><p>Prompt: Birthday/ I’ll always be here for you/ Soulmate Age</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nico di Angelo/Percy Jackson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>172</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Aphrodite's Gift</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So... as previously mentioned, I've been going through my WIP folders and well...I found the fourth week submission to PAFM 2020! It uh, never went live because life happened. But, it's here now and I'm going to post it because it shouldn't just hide in the dark depths of my hard drive forever. So here you go several months late! WHEEEE!</p><p>Not adding to the PAMF collection since it's so late but at least it's here now. lol.</p><p>As always thanks to BobInTheComments, likegallows, and theboringdolphin. They're all amazing writers and great friends. Thanks for all you guys do!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Try as he might Percy’s friends won’t let him treat his birthday as just another day. It used to be that his birthday’s were a really big deal. Percy wanted to celebrate having survived another year as a demigod. He wanted to party with his friends. It was basically a good excuse to have a lot of fun. </p><p>That all stopped when he turned eighteen for the first time. He’d had a strange dream where Aphrodite came to him and promised to keep him eighteen until he kissed his soulmate for the first time. He’d taken it to be a really weird dream and continued on with celebrating as he always did. After all, Annabeth was his soulmate and he’d kissed her loads of times</p><p>Then, a few months later he had Lacy from Aphrodite cabin cut his hair. Aphrodite cabin was always where you went for a haircut after all. Lacy got it a little shorter than he  normally liked it, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. It would grow back. Except that it didn’t. </p><p>A year later and his hair was still too short. Everyone had noticed and finally he’d had to tell Annabeth about the dream. It took her three months to calm down enough to talk to him again. She apologized for saying that he was making it up as an excuse to break up with her but also said she still wasn’t going to date him anymore. She’d found somebody else. </p><p>They stayed friends. Annabeth was enjoying university in New Rome and Percy was enjoying trying to find his place in the human world. He was currently lifeguarding at one of the beaches in Tennessee and loved it. It was just annoying having to move to a different beach every year or so, so no one noticed that he wasn’t continuing to grow up.</p><p>His birthday of course, rolled around as it does each year. It doesn’t matter to him anymore. He is eighteen and if he never kisses his soulmate will be eighteen for a very long time.  His friends still try to make time out of their increasingly busy schedules for him, but  Percy didn’t want that. He didn’t want what would literally be a pity party.</p><p>So  this year Percy went home. His mom was a bit more understanding. Though she still made sure there was some blue birthday cake. Still it was a low-key affair. The cake could have been for Percy’s birthday or because a sweet sounded good. It wasn’t a forced ordeal and Percy was so grateful. </p><p>He’s in his room eating his third piece of cake long after the rest of his family has gone to bed when there’s a knock on the window. That was weird. Percy wasn’t expecting a knock at the window. Maybe it was a bird.</p><p>Just as he convinces himself that’s what it must be the knock comes again. This time twice as insistent. Grabbing Riptide just in case he needs it, Percy sets down his cake and goes to the window.</p><p>Percy is wary as he approaches the window. There’s many things he’s expecting to see on the fire escape on the other side. It could be a bird, a monster, nothing. What he didn’t expect to see is Nico Di Angelo grinning at him with a bottle of whiskey in his hand.</p><p>Now Percy has drunk before. He is technically twenty two years old even if his body still says he’s eighteen. There was no way he was going to wait until he eventually turned twenty one physically.</p><p>Annabeth of course didn’t approve but Percy didn’t really care one way or the other. As much as she sometimes acted like it, Annabeth wasn’t his Mom. As far as his mother was concerned she treated him like he was his own adult. Even if he wasn’t any more. The fact that Annabeth couldn’t was infuriating, even if she thought she had science backing her up.</p><p>It was a problem Percy had with most of his friends. They don’t mean too but as the years pass they treat him like he’s still just another kid at camp. It’s part of why Percy doesn’t want to celebrate his birthday.</p><p>Nico is different. He’s aware of limitations still physically being eighteen would place on Percy. However, he’s also aware that Percy has lived for twenty two years and that there would be a lot of disconnect that would come with that. Nico more than anyone met Percy where he was at and Percy was eternally grateful to him for it. </p><p>It was awkward enough being eighteen physically but with much more life experience than that without added help from people who care about him.</p><p>Of course Percy does the natural thing and opens the window to let Nico in. “I didn’t realize we were making you showing up on my fire escape a tradition.” </p><p>Nico climbs through the window and smiles disarmingly. Percy carefully ignores the way that the other demigods' presence fill his body with a feeling not unlike getting a shock from Thalia. That’s been happening more and more. The attraction, the desire to keep Nico with him and not let go.</p><p>“So I’ve been thinking about your curse.” Nico says. “I think I have a solution to the problem.” </p><p>He’s the only one that calls it a curse like it is. Everyone else calls it a blessing least they displease the love goddess who bestowed her so-called gift on him.</p><p>Percy appreciated Nico’s willingness to call things like they were. It’s probably where this feeling Nico always started in him came from. Or the fact that as Nico grew and became more confident he got hot. That might be part of it too. </p><p>“So we’re making the bad plans part of the tradition too huh?” A few years ago the joke would have been met with agitation.</p><p>But, Nico was probably now one of Percy’s closest friends and he will understand the words for what they were. A joke showing his acceptance of a bad time for both of them, and more importantly their survival of it.</p><p>Nico rolls his eyes but ignores him. Also understanding that Percy is trying to start trouble so they don’t have to talk about the curse. “I was wondering how many people have you actually kissed since you and Annabeth broke up?”</p><p>“Well Drew all but clobbers me every New Years.” Percy says awkwardly. “Not sure why she thinks the outcome will change.”</p><p>Nico raises an eyebrow. “But no one else?”</p><p>“Being eternally eighteen actually makes finding a date pretty difficult.” Percy says. “I totally get why the oath isn’t a big deal for the huntresses now.”</p><p>“So. You should probably work on that. If the way to break the curse is kissing. Maybe you should, you know, start kissing people.” Nico says. If Percy didn’t know better he’d say Nico was working himself up to something. But as he aged confidence became Nico’s middle name. In order to work himself up to something Nico would have to be unsure of himself. </p><p>“What are you suggesting, a kissing booth?” Percy asks sarcastically. </p><p>“No. I’m just saying you won’t know if you don’t try people.”</p><p>Percy laughs. “Well with your logic. I should start with you.”</p><p>“Alright.” Nico says grinning. And somehow Percy just knows that this is what Nico wanted. </p><p>“I thought I wasn’t your type.” Percy accuses. </p><p>Nico smiles. “Types can change.” </p><p>Percy is positive that’s not all there is to it. He says as much.</p><p>“So I might have always had a crush on you.” Percy can tell this matters to Nico a lot more than he is letting on. </p><p>“I guess it can’t hurt.” Percy concedes because the humming bird that suddenly lodges itself in his heart when Nico so much as smiles is currently beating against his ribs with furor. If it had words Percy is sure it’s be screaming at him to shut up and kiss Nico already. Even if it will only be this once it’s better than never.</p><p>Nico grins and sets down the bottle. They lean in to each other slowly until finally their lips brush against each other.  It’s not the kiss of fairy tales. As much a Percy feels like a damn princess with this stupid curse. It’s longer, firmer, hotter. There’s genuine need for both of them.</p><p>When he pulls away nothing has happened. There’s no change, no sign that it worked. Disappointment fills Percy. Honestly, he’d be willing to try dating Nico anyways. But it wouldn’t be fair to chain the guy to someone who would be an eighteen year old kid indefinitely. </p><p>“Oh.” Nico says clearly disappointed.</p><p>Percy doesn’t give him the chance to give him the well it was a nice kiss speech. His heart can’t handle it. “Thanks for trying man. Here lets crack open that bottle.”</p><p>It gets left at that. They drink for a while just shooting the breeze. It’s fun and nice to be able to bury his disappointment that the kiss didn’t work in the alcohol.</p><p>Later when they’re both exhausted they start getting ready for bed. The alcohol has turned them both thoughtful. “Hey, Percy?” Nico says after they’ve laid down on the floor to get some sleep.</p><p>“Yeah?” Percy asks back. Unsure of what Nico could have to say now. His disappointment weighs heavy in his chest.</p><p>“I’ll always be here for you. You know that right?”</p><p>“Yeah. Me too.” Percy agrees because that much will always be true even if Percy won’t get what he really wants from the other demigod. A friendship isn’t a life together but it sure beats nothing at all. </p><p>Nico spends the night and goes home the next day leaving Percy nothing but the ghost of Nico’s lips against his. </p><p>They don’t see each other for a few weeks. Just long enough for Percy to idly look at his hands and think that his nails are getting too long. The thoughts give Percy pause. His nails haven’t been too long for years. </p><p>In fact he’s gotten used to them being slightly too short. He cut them shortly before he’d accepted that the curse was laid on him. So for them to be somewhat too long can only mean one thing.</p><p>Percy steals Blackjack and flies to New Rome that same day. He knows it’s not so pressing that they can’t take breaks. But Blackjack senses his urgency. The pegasus always goades him into moving faster than they probably should.</p><p>It's not a difficult task by any means. Percy’s heart is beating so fast in his chest he can barely stand it. He’s always looked at his curse as something of an arranged marriage. The goddess of love dictating who he would love before he so much as met them and damn Percy’s feelings on the subject.</p><p>The fact that it’s Nico who got his nails to grow. Who as time passes will let him find what his full height is. Will let him finally change his damn haircut without running the risk of simply losing all of his hair. It almost changes everything. Percy still doesn’t appreciate being held back so long, but it almost makes it worth it.</p><p>Percy arrives at Camp Jupiter as the sun is setting.  He learns that the others are having something of a family dinner at Hazel’s. Percy isn’t all that excited about trying to talk to Nico in the middle of the chaos his friends often bring to anything. Still he has to talk to Nico quickly. </p><p>Hazel opens the door when he knocks. Caution fades to delight as she realizes it’s him interrupting her dinner party. “Percy! I didn’t realize you were coming. We’re just finding out about Nico’s new boyfriend. Come in. Come in.”</p><p>Percy doesn’t really catch the rest. He thinks she says something about celebrating his birthday late while he’s here. He doesn’t know and he doesn’t care. It’s like his racing heart has suddenly stopped in his chest. </p><p>They walk into the living room and Percy does his best to appear chipper. Nico is with someone and Percy is so torn up inside over it that he has no idea what he’s supposed to do next. He ends up just kind of sitting letting it all wash over him.</p><p>The only person who recognizes that he’s more upset than usual is Annabeth. Besides a raised eyebrow she’s not able to really say anything. Nico would normally notice as well but he’s so caught up in the glow of his new relationship that he doesn’t. Percy tries not to be hurt by it.</p><p>Nico is explaining how he met this new guy Josh. Josh is a mortal barista that works at Nico’s favorite coffee shop. “They make the coffee just a little too strong. Which is a turnoff for a lot of people but honestly helps so much after a long night in the Underworld. Especially if I have classes the next morning.”</p><p>If they were a bunch of mortal girls it would be the sweetest meeting ever. Nico and Josh got to know each other over time. Were probably even flirting when Nico kissed Percy. Though maybe not. The thought makes Percy sick.</p><p>Everyone’s cooing at him and Nico is trying to play it cool. Assuring their friends it’s not that serious yet. They’re in the early stages of dating. It could be short lived but of course Nico hopes it’s not.</p><p>Percy bows out as quickly as he can. He doesn’t feel well, he says. Nothing serious, just a long journey taken too fast. He’ll take a nap at his lodging with the legion and be fine.</p><p>He’s not too surprised when Annabeth says she needs to go home too because she has a test to study for. They walk out of Hazels apartment and into the cool night air. Annabeth’s building is a few down from Hazel’s.</p><p>There’s no need to discuss where Percy will stay. He always stays with Annabeth when he’s in New Rome. That’s a fact as true as the previously known fact that Percy would never age.</p><p>“So are you going to tell me what’s wrong or do I have to figure it out for myself?” Annabeth asks once they are inside.</p><p>It’s no surprise that she’s read him like an open book. That doesn’t mean he actually wants to talk about it. </p><p>“What do you mean?” Percy asks. Maybe if he plays oblivious she’ll let it go. </p><p>“You’ve pushed through taking that journey  too fast a million times. You’re not acting sick, you’re acting sad. What’s really going on Percy?”</p><p>“I’m just tired of the curse messing with my life.” Percy says petulant. His deflection works.</p><p>“Percy you know that’s not how the goddess of love intended her gift.” Annabeth admonishes. “I think you need to look at the opportunities it’s providing.”</p><p>“We’ve hashed this out so many times Annabeth.” Percy sighs. “It’s a curse, meant or not. And you’re too afraid to draw her wrath to agree. It’s fine but I don’t want to go through it again.”</p><p>Annabeth falls silent though she’s definitely glowering at him.  It’s enough of the truth that she’ll buy it this time. All he’s done is bought himself some time before she does figure out what’s happening.</p><p>Percy doesn’t stick around long enough for Annabeth to find out. He takes a job as a lifeguard on another beach in Tennessee. He’s not a huge fan of Tennessee but it gives him the time he needs to deal with his feelings. </p><p>Working is easier this time too. There’s not the awareness that he doesn’t change. People's opinions aren’t something he has to monitor carefully lest he somehow get caught out. </p><p>He’s far enough away from his family and friends that they don’t notice his new hair cut, or gained two inches. Or that he’s somehow filling out in the chest despite all the sword work done as a kid and even now. You’d think there wasn’t a way to gain more muscle but here he is.</p><p>Percy is three months into moving on with the whole thing. He still misses Nico. Still longs for what could have been. But he’s long since accepted that it wouldn’t be fair to demand that Nico love him when he’s with someone else. That’s why the gift was a curse after all. No matter how you cut it took away the free will piece of falling in love. Percy just didn’t expect to be burned because his soulmate was someone he actually wanted but couldn’t have.</p><p>He should have known it would all fall apart. It’s a typical Friday. He finished his shift and then went to the private beach his co-workers liked to hang out at after hours. They were used to him swimming out too far and after a very strong lecture about them not saving his dumb butt was left to swim as he pleased.</p><p>He’d stayed out a little longer than normal. There was a nereid out in the deep water that he enjoyed chatting with between spaces of coming up for air so his friends didn’t think he’d had an accident. Once everyone left they chatted for a while longer. Working through the feelings lost love always brought on.</p><p>It was late. So of course Percy wasn’t expecting any visitors at his apartment. Which is probably his first mistake. At least it wasn’t a monster. Only Annabeth highlighted by the glow of her laptop as she worked on one project or another while she waited for Percy to come home. Her golden hair is escaping its braid and falling into her eyes.</p><p>They may not be together. They may have both agreed that it’s honestly for the best. That still doesn’t mean Percy is incapable of noticing that she’s still gorgeous.</p><p>“Where have you been?” She asks without even looking up. “Your shift ended hours and hours ago.”</p><p>Percy decides to ignore the fact that she has somehow figured out his work schedule. For all he knows she stole it from the lifeguard hut on the beach. Knowing Annabeth she’s been planning this talking to for a while. Instead he stands and waits for her to explain her presence on his doorstep.</p><p>Finally she looks up at Percy and immediately frowns. “You’ve grown.”</p><p>This is exactly what Percy has been trying to avoid. For a moment he considers deflecting but he’s already done so once. Annabeth won’t let him get away with it again.</p><p>Annabeth waits until Percy has let her into his tiny studio apartment before she says anything else. Percy supposes he should be grateful for that. It’s not a conversation he wants to have in the hallway.</p><p>“So, who’s the lucky girl?”</p><p>“Not a girl. It was Nico.” Percy says because if there’s no point in trying to continue to hide from Annabeth he may as well be honest.</p><p>He can tell Annabeth wasn’t expecting that. She’s frowning like she found an odd shaped piece to a puzzle and she’s not quite sure where it fits in.</p><p>“But Nico’s seeing someone else?” Annabeth says softly. Trying to put the pieces together even before Percy explains it to her. </p><p>“We thought it’d work immediately.” Percy decides not to cheapen what happened with the lie they both told themselves to make kissing each other safe. Percy knows that Nico would not have kissed him if he didn’t want to. He just would have suggested that Percy try kissing other people.</p><p>And well, Percy hadn’t kissed anyone else since. That spoke pretty clearly on what Percy wanted.</p><p>“We figured it hadn’t worked. I can’t blame him for moving on and I won’t take his happiness from him.”</p><p>“I can’t decide if that’s stupid or the most heroic thing I’ve heard in years.” Annabeth says annoyed.</p><p>“It doesn’t really matter.” Percy points out as he goes to get himself a glass of water.  He’s had enough to drink that he’s going to be thankful for the water in the morning. In Percy’s mind it’s the truth. Besides, it’s not Annabeth’s choice to make.</p><p>Annabeth frowns and watches him thoughtfully. “So what? You’re just going to lifeguard in Tennessee for the rest of your life to avoid the truth?”</p><p>Percy shrugs. He did eventually want to go home but later. After he concocted a good story. After he could be around Nico and presumably his new boyfriend without the truth burning the back of his throat. </p><p>“Percy. Just, don’t forget us. Okay?” Annabeth says. Percy can tell she wants to say so much more.</p><p>“I wouldn’t dream of it Wise Girl.” Percy promises. Though really it’s deeper than that. Its nearly impossible to forget family. </p><p>Percy starts missing his friends after that. His mortal co-workers are great and all but they don’t get it. They don’t get when he comes back from his breaks injured from a fight with Telekhines that were stalking the beach. They don’t get why he’s always hyper aware. They just don’t get what it is to be a demigod.</p><p>It doesn’t help that Annabeth makes a point of calling him once a week. She also reminded everyone else that Iris Message is an option. In fact the only person who doesn’t call him is Nico. This heartbreaking fact only serves to make Percy crazier.</p><p>The detachment from half his life gets under Percy’s skin. He fights but several months after Annabeth’s visit when Percy goes back to New Rome. </p><p>It’s a stupid idea. He’s got no exit strategy for when people notice he’s grown. He’s got no excuse, he doesn’t have any plan for how to handle seeing Nico. It’s not smart for him to come back but he misses home too much to care.</p><p>He winds up on Reyna’s door step. Probably because he thinks she’ll help him make up a story for how the curse was broken. She’s possibly the only one of their friend group who will understand Percy’s need to protect Nico from the truth. </p><p>Percy knocks feeling apprehensive about what his reception will be. When Reyna opens the door she has a backpack slung over her shoulder and a sandwich in hand. It isn’t possible for the message to be any more clear. She’s headed somewhere. </p><p>Reyna looks him up and down twice, sighs, and pusses the door wider so that Percy can go in. “Wait here. We’ll talk about the two inches of height you’ve gained when I get back to class. I’d stay to talk now but I can’t miss today.” </p><p>With that Percy is left waiting for Reyna to come home.  He takes some time to look around careful to not touch anything. Aurum and Argentum decided to stay with Reyna when she moved on from the Legion. They’re watching Percy carefully and he wouldn’t want to do anything to deserve their ire.</p><p>Somehow Percy winds up in the bathroom. Catching sight of himself he realizes he’s let his hair grow long and shaggy again. It’s not quite in his eyes yet but definitely long enough his mom would be gently nudging him in the direction of a barber.</p><p>The long hair won’t help Percy prove that he hasn’t grown if that’s the route he and Reyna decide to take. To save a little time and to have something to do Percy locates a pair of scissors and begins hacking at his hair. It won’t be a professional job but it’s easier to explain a bad haircut then why his hair suddenly started growing again.</p><p>While he’s working Percy turns on some music. Some fun pop that would leave Nico rolling his eyes while Hazel insisted that everyone get up and dance to the beat. Percy smiles at the thought and clips away another piece of hair humming along to the songs he knows.</p><p>He is so lost in the task that he doesn’t hear anyone else come into the apartment. “So, you took my advice, huh?” </p><p>Percy nearly chops off a finger from his hand slipping as he starts at the sound of Nico’s soft words. If Percy didn’t know better he’d think the other demigod sounded disappointed.</p><p>As he turns to face Nico, Percy half heartedly hides the scissors behind his back. Nico smirks knowingly at the gesture.</p><p>“Who’s the lucky girl? Or, I guess it could be a guy?” Nico smiles but there’s no feeling behind it. Percy is beginning to suspect that Nico is jealous. Which is weird since he’s in a relationship.</p><p>Still it’s becoming pretty clear that the easiest way to handle the situation is with the truth. As much as it feels like it’s also the easiest way to set Percy up for a broken heart. </p><p>“There isn’t anyone.” Percy says and before Nico can point out how that’s clearly not the case he adds. “I didn’t try your advice. It was a good excuse to get to kiss you and I took it. Somehow it worked. It just took a few weeks for it to show.”</p><p>Percy shakes his head and looks away. He doesn’t want to see the expression on Nico’s face as he rejects him. </p><p>“You. It worked?” Nico stutters as he stumbles forward into Percy’s space. </p><p>On it’s own Percy’s body tenses. Unsure of what kind of response this is. It’s not quite the rejection he expected but maybe they just haven’t gotten to that part yet.</p><p>Nico’s finger hooks under Percy’s chin, pressing insistently to get Percy to look at him. Percy can’t help that when his gaze meets Nico’s it’s in a fiery glare. This isn’t fair.</p><p>It’s even less fair that Nico is smiling. “You could have said something.” </p><p>“I didn’t want to tear you away from a relationship you’d chosen for yourself.” Percy says his tone is scathing. “You know I’ve always hated this curse because it took away choice. I wasn’t going to do that to you just because the outcome was something I wanted.”</p><p>Nico doesn’t let it phase him though. Going so far to laugh a little at Percy’s anger. “That relationship ended almost as quickly as it began. Apparently he liked to keep his options open. You’d have known that if you’d come back.”</p><p>“It hurt too much.” Percy says softly and Nico nods.</p><p>“I can see that. I’m sorry.” Nico says softly. “I’d told you I would always be here for you and apparently I didn’t do a great job of it.”</p><p>“Neither of us did.” Percy admits.</p><p>They’re quiet again for a bit as they let the moment settle. The hurt between them fades away as Nico’s thumb caresses the outline of Percy’s jaw.</p><p>Slowly the motion grows from soothing to a very specific kind of maddening. All too soon it’s more than Percy can stand if there’s not going to be more with it. </p><p>“So, you think we should try kissing again?” Percy finds himself saying. “I mean just to make sure the curse stays gone.”</p><p>Nico grins but presses his lips against Percy’s for a brief second before pulling away. “I think we should kiss a lot more because I like kissing you.” </p><p>“I think you’re onto something there.” Percy agrees returning the kiss with a bit more force. This time no one pulls away. </p><p>They move to Reyna’s couch and let themselves get lost in a haze of kisses. It is simple and easy and Percy thinks he could be lost in Nico’s touch forever and never mind it. Time ceases to have meaning until Reyna comes home.</p><p>Of course she has the whole crew in tow. Percy would be so much more mortified except for Nico snickering into the crook of his neck. It certainly has everything to do with their expressions which are pretty funny. </p><p>Annabeth’s the one to break the awkward silence first with a startled laugh. “Well Reyna I think we can call the lecture off.”</p><p>“I’m not so sure about that.” Reyna growls while Percy and Nico both self-consciously try to make themselves look like they haven’t been making out for an hour or two. It’s a bit more difficult to school their expressions into anything that isn’t amused. “They defiled my couch.”</p>
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